Shooting Flowers with a 300mm

So there I was, freezing in a Bird Blind taking shots of Dark Eyed Juncos. My feet were just about numb and my shutter finger was stiff as a board. I needed to get my blood moving so I snapped the quick release on my tripod, and took my camera and lens to go for a walk in the Camellia/ Sasanqua Beds. That’s where I got this shot of a huge red/pink Camellia bloom. I don’t ever recall using a 300 mm lens to shoot flowers. For one thing, the minimum focus distance is a good six feet and for another, the thing is heavy. But its sharp as a tack and it will flat reel in an image. Even more so with a Nikon D7000 which has an APS-C Sensor. Putting the 300 on that camera converts the lens to 400mm+. It’s why small sensor cameras like the D7000 are so better for shooting wildlife than full framers. Their reach is incredible. This bloom must have been 25 feet up in the bush. I read in one of the photography magazines a while back that if you find yourself in a rut you should go shooting with a different lens to improve your boring perspective. The big Nikon 300 mm did more than that for me. It thawed my frozen feet.

Thanks for the look. If you’re stateside, Have a Great Thanksgiving. Wherever you are, Have a Great Evening.

Post navigation

One thought on “Shooting Flowers with a 300mm”

John, I use my 400 IS lens for close ups. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but it works just fine. then I do not have to carry so many lens with me…….I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this….It is amazing what we can shoot with and get good results. I love your image….It is a beauty! Wowza!